


Dear Ben

by ChildOfTheBarricade



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Baby Ben Solo, Bullying, Drabbles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Good Parent Han Solo, Good Parent Leia Organa, Grief, Hurt/Comfort, Non-Linear Narrative, family life, parenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:13:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29838615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChildOfTheBarricade/pseuds/ChildOfTheBarricade
Summary: This is a non-linear set of drabbles centred around the Organa-Solo family, bless their hearts.I just cannot get out of my head HOW MUCH Han and Leia could being singing 'Dear Theodosia' from Hamilton to their Ben so here we are. Using each line as a prompt. Will be aiming to update every few days. Tags updated as I go.
Relationships: Leia Organa/Han Solo
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	1. What to Say to You?

Like any five-year-old, Ben asked a lot of questions that his parents had trouble answering. Sometimes, they could look the answers up on the holonet, when his questions were along the lines of, “How much can a Wookiee carry?” or, “What is Mandalorian armour made of?” or, “How long does it take to get to Tatooine without lightspeed?"

For some of his questions, Han and Leia just couldn't come up with answers that seemed good enough. These were questions like, "Why doesn't Daddy have the Force?" or, "What makes someone go bad like the Empire baddies?"

And some of them, they didn't really want to answer, either because Ben was too young, or they weren't ready themselves. Questions like, "How did that lady get a baby in her tummy?" or, "Mama what are those scars on your back from?" or, "Daddy, did you ever shoot someone with your blaster and hurt them?"

Because of Ben's propensity for asking difficult questions, his mother and father had developed an extremely effective system for answering them. When Ben came out with one of these queries, the questioned parent would look around for the other one in a panic, they would excuse themselves, discuss the question in fierce whispers in another room, then emerge as a united front, fully prepared to face the enemy.

But when, over dinner one night, Ben carefully set his cutlery down beside his plate, looked between his parents and said, "Everyone at school has a Grandma and Grandpa, why don't I have any?", they found themselves with absolutely nothing to say to him.

Han had no frame of reference for this question, and was unsure how important it might be to Ben. He'd barely known his own parents, let alone their parents. So he looked to Leia, and found her looking even more panicked than he felt. She had countless fond memories of all four of her grandparents, but they'd perished on Alderaan with everyone else she'd ever known.

Ben bit his lip. "Do you need to go in your room to talk about it first?" He asked earnestly.

Han snorted and reached over the table to ruffle his hair. "I don't think so. I didn't have any grandparents when I was a kid either. It's just what happens sometimes," he shrugged.

"But…" Ben began. "Where are your Dad and Mama? Are they dead?"

"Ah…" Han said. "It's kinda tricky, kid. My Dad…" he glanced at Leia, and she gave him a small smile and took his hand under the table. "He didn't really want to be a Dad," he explained. "So he ah… didn't stay bein' my Dad for very long. I don't know what happened to him."

Ben chewed his lower lip, taking a few more bites of his food before looking up at Han again. "What about your Mama?"

Han sighed. "She died when I was real little. Even littler than you," he explained.

"I'm very big," Ben interjected.

"Right," Han chuckled."But I was little when she died. She got sick and then she was gone. Then my Dad went away too so I was on my own."

"Does it make you sad, Daddy?"

Han shrugged. "I guess I've never thought about it that much. I wish I didn't have to grow up on my own. And I miss my Ma. I wish she could have met you and your Mom."

Ben nodded and pushed his remaining dinner around his plate. Eventually, he put his fork back down and looked up at Leia. "Mommy… Is all your family gone?" He asked softly.

Han squeezed Leia's hand as she nodded. "All my family I grew up with is gone," she told him. "But I still have you and Daddy and Uncle Luke and Chewie."

"And…" he rubbed his eyes suddenly and took a shaky breath. "When I'm a grown-up will you and Daddy be gone?"

Leia took a slow breath, gripping Han's hand.

"We'll be here as long as you need us, big guy," Han said. "You don't need to worry. I hope I get to be a Grandpa to your little kids," he winked and Ben smiled, going back to his food and, in a topic change that gave his parents whiplash, starting talking in detail about the latest episode of his favourite holo show, Street Racers.

Leia looked over at Han while Ben chattered to them, and quickly leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Love you," she said quietly.

Han squeezed her hand and gave her a wink. He already knew.


	2. You Have My Eyes, You Have Your Father's Name

Leia closed her eyes for a moment as the front door slid closed behind her, and gave herself a moment to just be home. She could smell dinner cooking - Alderaanian food for the end of the work week. She could hear the holo blaring with children's programs. Every light in the house seemed to be unnecessarily switched on, and there was a tottering pile of coats, shoes, hats and socks by the doorway. She smiled and made her way down the hall, slipping her shoes off and neatly putting them away before hanging her coat up. 

Stepping into the kitchen, she wrapped her arms around Han’s middle from behind as he stood at the stove. 

Han jumped a little, then said, “Hey,” as smoothly as he could manage. “Didn’t hear you come in.”

She hummed and pressed a kiss between his shoulders. “Didn’t mean to scare you. Is Ben watching the holo?”

“I think so. He’s been kinda quiet. Didn’t want to talk about his day. I asked a few questions but…” he shrugged. “No luck.”

Leia sighed. It had been happening a bit. Ben would come home from school in a mood, but wouldn’t tell anyone, not even Chewie, what was wrong. He’d keep to himself, hide in his room, pick at his dinner, and refuse to talk. 

It wasn’t all that surprising. Both of his parents had proved to be verifiable durasteel traps under interrogation, Imperial or otherwise, so there was no reason Ben would be any different. 

“I’ll give it a go.”

Han nodded and dipped a spoon into the pan, holding it up to her. “Taste this first. It’s a new one.”

Leia smiled, moving around his side and leaning into him. She took the spoon into her mouth and hummed, closing her eyes. “My Gramma used to make this, Han. It tastes the same.”

Han grinned. “I made flatbread to go with it but I think I did it a bit Kashyyykian,” he said, a little sheepish. 

Leia leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, “Don’t tell my constituents. But I prefer Kashyyykian flatbread.”

Han laughed and kissed her, cradling her face with his free hand for a moment. “Go talk to the kid.”

Leia nodded, standing on her toes to give him one last kiss before heading to the living room. The couch was empty, as was Ben’s favourite spot on the rug in front of the holo screen. 

She frowned slightly, and turned the holo off, slowly making her way down the hallway and eventually finding their six-year-old in the ‘fresher. 

He was standing up on a small footstool so he could see his reflection in the mirror above the sink. 

“Hi, honey,” Leia said, leaning in the doorway. “Daddy’s making Alderaanian for dinner. You getting hungry?”

Ben shrugged, not looking away from his reflection. 

“Is everything okay?” Leia asked softly, making her way over to him and touching his shoulder. 

Ben nodded stiffly, clenching his little fists by his sides.

“Ben,” Leia said softly, combing her fingers through his hair. “You know you can tell me and Dad anything at all. We won’t be mad or upset. We just want to help you.”

The little boy bit his lip. “Why are my ears so big?” He asked quietly, still staring at them in the mirror. 

Leia frowned. “What do you mean?” She couldn’t pretend she didn’t know. Han had been light-heartedly joking about it for years. But they’d never said anything to Ben about them, and they really loved them. They were adorable. 

“They’re big and they stick out, Mama. Ronar at school says I look like a gundark,” he said, tugging at his ears. 

Leia sighed. “You don’t look like a gundark, baby. Your ears are just one part of you. They go with all the other parts to make you Ben.”

Ben frowned. “I hate them.”

“Oh, love, don’t say that,” Leia said, pulling him to her chest. “I love every single part of you. I love your beautiful curly hair, and your hands that are so good at drawing and fixing things, and your ears that sometimes forget to listen to me, and your clever mind that’s always thinking about flying even when it should be thinking about school.”

Ben cracked a smile and let her hold him. 

“I love your eyes the best,” Han said from the doorway.

“Why?” Ben asked, looking at his reflection and squinting a little. 

“Cause they’re just like your Ma’s. They say you’re not gonna let anyone push you around, and you’re gonna love people real hard.”

Ben smiled brightly, looking at Leia’s eyes, then back at his own in the mirror. “They are the same. What do I have of yours, Dad?”

“You’ve got my whole face, kid,” Han chuckled, but Ben looked unconvinced, so he thought for a moment. “You’ve got my name,” he said, wrapping an arm around him. “I never thought anyone would have my name.”

“Solo,” Ben smiled.

Han nodded and held him close.

“You’ve got your Daddy’s heart too,” Leia said, slipping herself into their cuddle and kissing the top of Ben’s head. “I love that about you both.”


End file.
